Animal behavior frozen in time: gregarious behavior of Early Jurassic lobsters within an ammonoid body chamber

Direct animal behavior can be inferred from the fossil record only in exceptional circumstances. The exceptional mode of preservation of ammonoid shells in the Posidonia Shale (Lower Jurassic, lower Toarcian) of Dotternhausen in southern Germany, with only the organic periostracum preserved, provides an excellent opportunity to observe the contents of the ammonoid body chamber because this periostracum is translucent. Here, we report upon three delicate lobsters preserved within a compressed ammonoid specimen of Harpoceras falciferum. We attempt to explain this gregarious behavior. The three lobsters were studied using standard microscopy under low angle light. The lobsters belong to the extinct family of the Eryonidae; further identification was not possible. The organic material of the three small lobsters is preserved more than halfway into the ammonoid body chamber. The lobsters are closely spaced and are positioned with their tails oriented toward each other. The specimens are interpreted to represent corpses rather than molts. The lobsters probably sought shelter in preparation for molting or against predators such as fish that were present in Dotternhausen. Alternatively, the soft tissue of the ammonoid may have been a source of food that attracted the lobsters, or it may have served as a long-term residency for the lobsters (inquilinism). The lobsters represent the oldest known example of gregariousness amongst lobsters and decapods in the fossil record. Gregarious behavior in lobsters, also known for extant lobsters, thus developed earlier in earth's history than previously known. Moreover, this is one of the oldest known examples of decapod crustaceans preserved within cephalopod shells.     

Cycling of Etk and Etp phosphorylation states is involved in formation of group 4 capsule by Escherichia coli

Capsules frequently play a key role in bacterial interactions with their environment. Escherichia coli capsules were categorized as groups 1 through 4, each produced by a distinct mechanism. Etk and Etp are members of protein families required for the production of group 1 and group 4 capsules. These members function as a protein tyrosine kinase and protein tyrosine phosphatase, respectively. We show that Etp dephosphorylates Etk in vivo, and mutations rendering Etk or Etp catalytically inactive result in loss of group 4 capsule production, supporting the notion that cyclic phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of Etk is required for capsule formation. Notably, Etp also becomes tyrosine phosphorylated in vivo and catalyzes rapid auto-dephosphorylation. Further analysis identified Tyr121 as the phosphorylated residue of Etp. Etp containing Phe, Glu or Ala in place of Tyr121 retained phosphatase activity and catalyzed dephosphorylation of Etp and Etk. Although EtpY121E and EtpY121A still supported capsule formation, EtpY121F failed to do so. These results suggest that cycles of phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of Etp, as well as Etk, are involved in the formation of group 4 capsule, providing an additional regulatory layer to the complex control of capsule production.     

Systematic Identification of Rhythmic Genes Reveals camk1gb as a New Element in the Circadian Clockwork

A wide variety of biochemical, physiological, and molecular processes are known to have daily rhythms driven by an endogenous circadian clock. While extensive research has greatly improved our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that constitute the circadian clock, the links between this clock and dependent processes have remained elusive. To address this gap in our knowledge, we have used RNA sequencing (RNA–seq) and DNA microarrays to systematically identify clock-controlled genes in the zebrafish pineal gland. In addition to a comprehensive view of the expression pattern of known clock components within this master clock tissue, this approach has revealed novel potential elements of the circadian timing system. We have implicated one rhythmically expressed gene, camk1gb, in connecting the clock with downstream physiology of the pineal gland. Remarkably, knockdown of camk1gb disrupts locomotor activity in the whole larva, even though it is predominantly expressed within the pineal gland. Therefore, it appears that camk1gb plays a role in linking the pineal master clock with the periphery.     

Gene expression profiling demonstrates a novel role for foetal fibrocytes and the umbilical vessels in human fetoplacental development

There is a difference in the susceptibility to inflammation between the umbilical vein (UV) and the umbilical arteries (UAs). This led us to hypothesize that there is an intrinsic difference in the pro-inflammatory response between UA and UV. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR and microarray analysis revealed higher expression of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-8 mRNA in the UV and differential expression of 567 genes between the UA and UV associated with distinct biological processes, including the immune response. Differential expression of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DRA mRNA between the UA and UV was due to unexpected HLA-DR⁺ cells migrating via the umbilical vessels into Wharton's jelly, more frequently in the UV. A significant proportion of these cells co-expressed CD45 and type I pro-collagen, and acquired CD163 or α-smooth muscle actin immunoreactivity in Wharton's jelly. Migrating cells were also found in the chorionic and stem villous vessels. Furthermore, the extent of migration increased with progression of gestation, but diminished in intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). The observations herein strongly suggest that circulating foetal fibrocytes, routing via umbilical and placental vessels, are a reservoir for key cellular subsets in the placenta. This study reports fibrocytes in the human umbilical cord and placenta for the first time, and a novel role for both circulating foetal cells and the umbilical vessels in placental development, which is deranged in IUGR.     

Nerve growth factor-induced p75-mediated death of cultured hippocampal neurons is age-dependent and transduced through ceramide generated by neutral sphingomyelinase.

Binding of nerve growth factor (NGF) to the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75) in cultured hippocampal neurons has been reported to cause seemingly contrasting effects, namely ceramide-dependent axonal outgrowth of freshly plated neurons, versus Jun kinase (Jnk)-dependent cell death in older neurons. We now show that the apoptotic effects of NGF in hippocampal neurons are observed only from the 2nd day of culture onward. This switch in the effect of NGF is correlated with an increase in p75 expression levels and increasing levels of ceramide generation as the cultures mature. NGF application to neuronal cultures from p75(exonIII-/-) mice had no effect on ceramide levels and did not affect neuronal viability. The neutral sphingomyelinase inhibitor, scyphostatin, inhibited NGF-induced ceramide generation and neuronal death, whereas hippocampal neurons cultured from acid sphingomyelinase(-/-) mice were as susceptible to NGF-induced death as wild type neurons. The acid ceramidase inhibitor, (1S,2R)-d-erythro-2-(N-myristoylamino)-1-phenyl-1-propanol, enhanced cell death, supporting a role for ceramide itself and not a downstream lipid metabolite. Finally, scyphostatin inhibited NGF-induced Jnk phosphorylation in hippocampal neurons. These data indicate an initiating role of ceramide generated by neutral sphingomyelinase in the diverse neuronal responses induced by binding of neurotrophins to p75.     

Senescence-associated mRNAs that may participate in signal transduction and protein trafficking

The differential display technique was used to generate cDNA probes in order to identify mRNAs that are up-regulated during senescence of Arabidopsis leaves. Three mRNAs were examined that had not previously been associated with senescence. The steady-state levels of these mRNAs are detectable in small amounts in mature green leaves, but increase considerably as chlorophyll levels begin to decline. This relationship to senescence occurs under natural circumstances as well as when senescence is accelerated by leaf detachment in the dark or by addition of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC). Retardation of senescence by benzyladenine slows the increase of the mRNAs. One of these mRNAs appears to code for a protein (Sec 13) that may be involved in vesicle formation at the endoplasmic reticulum. Another mRNA codes for a protein with WD‐repeat motif whose function is as yet unidentified, and the third codes for a putative calcium-dependent protein kinase. A fourth cDNA has also been cloned by subtractive hybridization from senescing Arabidopsis leaves that encodes vacuolar-processing enzyme ( γ VPE). Incubation of detached leaves in darkness also caused an abrupt elevation in the steady-state levels of the γVPE , similar to that of the senescing attached leaves. The possible functions of the gene products and their involvement in cellular and biochemical processes during senescence are discussed.     

Genomic Deregulation of the E2F/Rb Pathway Leads to Activation of the Oncogene EZH2 in Small Cell Lung Cancer

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a highly aggressive lung neoplasm with extremely poor clinical outcomes and no approved targeted treatments. To elucidate the mechanisms responsible for driving the SCLC phenotype in hopes of revealing novel therapeutic targets, we studied copy number and methylation profiles of SCLC. We found disruption of the E2F/Rb pathway was a prominent feature deregulated in 96% of the SCLC samples investigated and was strongly associated with increased expression of EZH2, an oncogene and core member of the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2). Through its catalytic role in the PRC2 complex, EZH2 normally functions to epigenetically silence genes during development, however, it aberrantly silences genes in human cancers. We provide evidence to support that EZH2 is functionally active in SCLC tumours, exerts pro-tumourigenic functions in vitro, and is associated with aberrant methylation profiles of PRC2 target genes indicative of a “stem-cell like” hypermethylator profile in SCLC tumours. Furthermore, lentiviral-mediated knockdown of EZH2 demonstrated a significant reduction in the growth of SCLC cell lines, suggesting EZH2 has a key role in driving SCLC biology. In conclusion, our data confirm the role of EZH2 as a critical oncogene in SCLC, and lend support to the prioritization of EZH2 as a potential therapeutic target in clinical disease.     

Fine-Resolution Mapping of TF Binding and Chromatin Interactions

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ICAMs Are Not Obligatory for Functional Immune Synapses between Naive CD4 T Cells and Lymph Node DCs

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